The Serbian Association of Journalists awarded this year’s awards for investigative journalism. Who are the winners?
Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) presented awards for Investigative journalism “Dejan Anastasijevic”.
Since 2020, the award has been named after the long-time journalist “Vremena” Dejan Anastasijevic who died in 2019.
Who are the winners?
The award for the best investigative story went to Barbara Matejčić for the text “Killing for a photograph: What is hidden behind the only photograph of death in the war in Yugoslavia”, published by Byrne Serbia.
In the category of investigative stories in the local media, a group of authors consisting of N. Stevanović, Ivana Jovanović and Dejana Cvetković was awarded, who dealt with the position of Albanians in Serbia in a series of texts.
Since this year, the award for reporting in the public interest has also been awarded, which went to Jelena Kikić from Nova TV and Radmil Marković from Birn for investigating the General Staff case.
As in previous years, the audience could vote for the papers that were shortlisted, and the paper with the most votes was the contribution “N1 Journalists at the SNS meeting – from recruitment to payment of daily wages”, authored by young reporters Sara Sekulić and Miloš Zekić.
Bodrožić: Journalists work in a hostile environment created by the government
NUNS President Željko Bodrožić said at the award ceremony that investigative journalists and other professionals have been working in a “hostile environment created by the government” for more than 10 years.
He said that the recipients of the award were often threatened and that the pro-government media demonized them on several occasions.
“There is hope for our society as long as there are journalists who, despite everything, write in the interest of the public,” added Bodrožić.
The award is given on the occasion of World Media Freedom Day, and because of the importance that investigative journalism has for the development of journalism in the fight against corruption, the pressure of the government and other centers of power on individuals or organizations, as well as for the democratic development of society.
With this award, NUNS wants to support and affirm journalists who, in a serious and professional manner, deal with topics that are extremely important for the public in Serbia.
